Merging agencies always sounds good, give the illusion of progress

As a young reporter, I got the opportunity to cover, and learn a few things, from maybe the greatest state senator ever, Jerome Warner.

He was the kind of state senator who just commanded respect, and unlike some politicians, had a well-formed group of beliefs that guided his decision making.

For instance, one was that user fees should finance certain aspects of government.

For example, roads. The primary users of roads and highways should pay for them, Warner reasoned. Thus, he believed that gas taxes, paid by users of roads, ought to fund road-building (but that concept was abandoned by legi...